8 Foods You Can Grow or Raise in a Tiny Yard

You don’t need acreage to start putting food on your table. A small backyard—or even a few raised beds—can handle more than most folks think.

If you’re tight on space but still want to grow or raise your own food, the key is picking things that pull their weight. These options don’t need much room, but they’ll give you something worth harvesting or gathering before long.

Leafy Greens

Spinach, lettuce, kale—they all grow fast, don’t take up much room, and you can cut them as you go. They’ll even regrow a few times before they’re done.

You can grow them in a raised bed, a few pots, or even in a shallow container on your porch. As long as they get a little sun and regular water, you’ll have salad for weeks.

Tomatoes in Containers

Tomatoes don’t have to take over your yard. Patio varieties and determinate types grow well in buckets, pots, or grow bags.

They do need sun—at least six hours a day—and something to hold them upright. But a 5-gallon bucket with drainage and a stake is all you really need to start picking your own.

Peppers

Peppers love warm weather and don’t need a ton of space. You can grow several plants in large containers or tuck them into small raised beds.

They’ll give you a steady supply all summer if you keep them watered and picked. Bell peppers, jalapeños, and banana peppers all do well in tight setups.

Bush Beans

Bush beans are compact, fast-growing, and keep producing if you pick them often. They’re great for small yards and don’t need any trellising.

You can plant a row along a fence or edge of a garden bed. They’re easy to grow, don’t need a lot of fertilizer, and are ready to harvest in about two months.

Strawberries

Strawberries don’t sprawl as much as people think, especially if you grow them in containers, grow towers, or hanging baskets.

They’re low to the ground, don’t need deep soil, and will produce for a few years if you take care of them. They like sun and well-draining soil. Keep the runners trimmed and you’ll get more fruit from less space.

Culinary Herbs

Herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, and chives grow great in small pots or tucked along walkways. Most don’t need deep soil or special care.

They’re easy to keep alive and more useful than most folks realize. Once you start using fresh herbs from your own yard, you won’t want to go back to store-bought.

Cucumbers on a Trellis

Cucumbers can sprawl if you let them, but give them a trellis and they’ll grow up instead of out. That makes them a solid pick for small spaces.

You’ll need good sun and regular watering, but once they take off, you’ll be picking more than you know what to do with. They’re a great space-saving crop.

Zucchini or Yellow Squash

Zucchini plants can get wide, but even one or two in a small raised bed will give you more than enough. They grow fast and produce heavily.

If you don’t have room for full-sized varieties, try a compact or container type. Just give them good soil, sunshine, and water, and you’ll have squash coming out of your ears.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.